Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Dumb Hillbilly & The Cherry Tree


We have a patch of pokeweed on the northwest corner of the property. Over the years I have tried to get rid of it. Pulling, cutting and smothering hasn't worked and I have accepted that it is there for a reason. It provides nutritious berries for the birds and bunnies in late summer. The owner of the adjacent property wants it gone as it tends to come up in his yard as well.

He took it upon himself to spray it with toxic chemicals even after I asked him not to do so. We have well water and the idea of drinking or cooking with Roundup doesn't sit well with me.

He sprayed the pokeweed and the wind must have carried it across the yard.

The cherry tree is where it landed.

A friend who is an arborist suggested mulching the tree heavily with compost and watering deeply once a week. The tree will probably survive, I hope.

The dumb hillbilly way of life is to kill anything you don't like and if you don't kill it the first time...kill it again.

I wore gloves to remove the brown, curled pokeweed and placed it in the back of the pick up. I'm not really sure what I will do with it. It will grow back. All the Roundup in the world won't kill it.

I have considered purchasing some Roundup myself and using it to write Dumb Hillbilly in the lawn of my neighbor.

Do you think he would suspect it was me?

5 comments:

  1. Heard at the Algonquin Festival Story-telling contest. "Her lips were redder than a raccoons ass during poke berry season". Now tell me that isn't funny.

    Not so funny, the names Roundup Monsanto, BASF. Think you can use their seeds, grow a crop and save some seed produced for next year? Think again. They are suing farmers for doing that.

    PS, I think Dumb Hillbilly written in the grass is a good idea. So sorry about your Cherry tree!

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  2. I wouldn't use their seed if I was starving. Not a big fan of GMO.

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  3. A GMO is a Genetically Modified Organism. That's what Monsanto makes and calls them seeds.

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